Net migration in Iceland
Iceland: Net migration was 2,709 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Net migration in Iceland, 1960–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net migration in Iceland is 2,709, measured in 2025.
That represents a change of down 23.5% on the previous year and up 80.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net migration in Iceland peaked at 8,348 in 2017 and was at its lowest, -4,785, in 2009.
Iceland ranks 57th of 218 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net migration in Iceland, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -269 | — |
| 1961 | 164 | -161.0% |
| 1962 | -228 | -239.0% |
| 1963 | -113 | -50.4% |
| 1964 | -67 | -40.7% |
| 1965 | -194 | +189.6% |
| 1966 | 39 | -120.1% |
| 1967 | 47 | +20.5% |
| 1968 | -448 | -1053.2% |
| 1969 | -1,414 | +215.6% |
| 1970 | -1,754 | +24.0% |
| 1971 | -231 | -86.8% |
| 1972 | 362 | -256.7% |
| 1973 | -310 | -185.6% |
| 1974 | 209 | -167.4% |
| 1975 | -388 | -285.6% |
| 1976 | -1,181 | +204.4% |
| 1977 | -1,079 | -8.6% |
| 1978 | -781 | -27.6% |
| 1979 | -572 | -26.8% |
| 1980 | -629 | +10.0% |
| 1981 | 157 | -125.0% |
| 1982 | 616 | +292.4% |
| 1983 | 170 | -72.4% |
| 1984 | -328 | -292.9% |
| 1985 | -628 | +91.5% |
| 1986 | -335 | -46.7% |
| 1987 | 944 | -381.8% |
| 1988 | 1,572 | +66.5% |
| 1989 | -994 | -163.2% |
| 1990 | -971 | -2.3% |
| 1991 | 1,145 | -217.9% |
| 1992 | -225 | -119.7% |
| 1993 | -194 | -13.8% |
| 1994 | -804 | +314.4% |
| 1995 | -1,354 | +68.4% |
| 1996 | -511 | -62.3% |
| 1997 | 225 | -144.0% |
| 1998 | 1,014 | +350.7% |
| 1999 | 1,165 | +14.9% |
| 2000 | 1,877 | +61.1% |
| 2001 | 867 | -53.8% |
| 2002 | -333 | -138.4% |
| 2003 | -204 | -38.7% |
| 2004 | 610 | -399.0% |
| 2005 | 3,925 | +543.4% |
| 2006 | 5,300 | +35.0% |
| 2007 | 5,254 | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 1,138 | -78.3% |
| 2009 | -4,785 | -520.5% |
| 2010 | -2,055 | -57.1% |
| 2011 | -1,393 | -32.2% |
| 2012 | -277 | -80.1% |
| 2013 | 1,666 | -701.4% |
| 2014 | 1,139 | -31.6% |
| 2015 | 1,499 | +31.6% |
| 2016 | 4,128 | +175.4% |
| 2017 | 8,348 | +102.2% |
| 2018 | 6,638 | -20.5% |
| 2019 | 5,030 | -24.2% |
| 2020 | 2,498 | -50.3% |
| 2021 | 4,911 | +96.6% |
| 2022 | 6,535 | +33.1% |
| 2023 | 4,630 | -29.2% |
| 2024 | 3,543 | -23.5% |
| 2025 | 2,709 | -23.5% |
Iceland compared with similar countries
- Iceland's 2,709 is above the median for high income countries, which is 843, 3.2× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Iceland's 2,709 is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 166, 16.3× the median. (57 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net migration in Iceland changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | -1053.2% | 47 | -448 |
| 2013 | +701.4% | -277 | 1,666 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -248.3 | -1,414 | 164 | 10 |
| 1970s | -572.5 | -1,754 | 362 | 10 |
| 1980s | 54.5 | -994 | 1,572 | 10 |
| 1990s | -51 | -1,354 | 1,165 | 10 |
| 2000s | 1,365 | -4,785 | 5,300 | 10 |
| 2010s | 2,472 | -2,055 | 8,348 | 10 |
| 2020s | 4,138 | 2,498 | 6,535 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Iceland
- 54 Equatorial Guinea 3,812 compare
- 55 Argentina 2,859 compare
- 56 Slovenia 2,711 compare
- 58 Namibia 1,866 compare
- 59 Kyrgyzstan 1,815 compare
- 60 Solomon Islands 1,631 compare
More financial sector data for Iceland
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0025 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 243.62 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0018 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 177.89 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0025 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 243.62 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net migration in Iceland?
- Net migration in Iceland was 2,709 in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest net migration recorded in Iceland?
- The highest recorded value was 8,348 in 2017.
- What is the lowest net migration recorded in Iceland?
- The lowest recorded value was -4,785 in 2009.
- How does Iceland rank for net migration?
- Iceland ranks 57th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is net migration rising or falling in Iceland?
- Over the last ten years it is up 80.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Iceland data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Net migration. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Net migration is the net total of migrants during the period, that is, the number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants, including both citizens and noncitizens.